EE to run 5G trial at Glastonbury

The telecoms firm will use its role as the festival’s technology partner to test the next-generation mobile network.

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(EE)

A 5G mobile network is to be tested during Glastonbury as part of EE’s ongoing trials of the technology.

The trial will be the first time the technology has been installed at a festival.

5G is the next generation of mobile network and is expected to begin publicly rolling out later this year, offering internet speeds up to double that of current generation 4G.

EE has said it will install five temporary masts across the Worthy Farm site, which will enable festival-goers to connect to 2G, 3G, 4G and for the first time 5G networks.

Pete Jeavons, EE and BT’s marketing and communications director, said: “Smartphones have become a festival must-have as we’ve seen each year with more and more data being consumed at Glastonbury Festival.

“As the long-standing technology partner to this iconic event, we are committed to building a network powerful enough to cope with this huge demand.

“With the introduction of 5G this year, we are able to trial this new technology at Worthy Farm and make history as the UK’s first 5G-connected festival.”

(Ben Birchall/PA)

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EE is predicting a record amount of data to be used during the festival, which will attract 200,000 people between June 26 and 30.

The firm says it expects more than 70 terabytes to be used – the equivalent to 784 million Instagram posts.

Acts performing at this year’s event include Stormzy, Kylie Minogue, Miley Cyrus, The Killers, The Cure and Janet Jackson.

As well as the 5G trial, EE has confirmed it will again have its Recharge Tent in place, offering free charging to all festival attendees.

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The firm will sell Juice Tube Power Bars for £20, which once out of battery can be swapped for free, once a day, for a fully charged one to allow mobile charging while on the site.

“And it’s great that we’re going to be one of the first places in the UK to offer 5G.”

EE has already run a number of 5G trials and is one of a number of telecoms firms currently testing the technology across different parts of the UK ahead of the anticipated public rollout, due to start later in 2019.